CA2064718A1

CA2064718A1 - Absorption of zinc vapour in molten lead

Info

Publication number: CA2064718A1
Application number: CA002064718A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Mark Ian Hoschke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Pasminco Australia Ltd
Priority date: 1989-08-15
Filing date: 1990-08-14
Publication date: 1991-02-16
Also published as: EP0486573A1; SE506452C2; SE9200438D0; GB2251629A; ES2080153T3; DE4091460C2; DE4091460T1; GB9202332D0; AU6169190A; SE9200438L; AU653919B2; EP0486573B1; EP0486573A4; JPH04507435A; WO1991002825A1; GB2251629B; NL9021328A

Abstract

2064718 9102825 PCTABS00003 A process for absorbing zinc vapour in molten lead is characterized in that a gas containing zinc vapour is contacted with and then separated from a flowing stream of molten lead in a cyclone.

Description

WO 91/02825 ~ PCT/AU90/003M

ABSO~PTTON OF 7IN~ VAPOU~ TN MOLTEN LF.AD
: '~ ';, This invention relates to an improved apparatus and process for absorbing zinc vapour into molten lead.
Gases containing zinc vapour are commonly generated in zinc smelting processes (for example, 13 the Imperial Smelting Process (ISP)) in slag fuming;
and in the treatment of zinc-containing dusts and residues.
Existing industrial processes for recovering zinc from gases containing zinc vapour are essentially of three kinds, of which ~he abovementioned ISP process is one. The ISF process uses rotors or impellers to splash lead from a molten pool int~ the zinc-l~den gas st.ream. In an alternative ISP process, ZillC is used as the condensing medium rather than lead. The so-c2lled SKF process uses molten lead or molten zinc in the form of a spray or curtain as cooling metal or medium towards which the gas stream containing 7inc vapour is directed.
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WO 9It0282~ PCT/AU90/00344 References relevant to the processes mentioned include D Temple, "Zinc-lead blast furnace - key developments", 1980 extractive me~allurgy lecture to AIME, Metallurgical Transactions B vol.
2B, pp 343-352; GB 1,010,436 (Imperial Smelting); and GB 2,122,648 (SKF).
The ISP process suffers from accretions at the mouth of the condenser and in the condenser/absorption chamber causing frequent stoppages of the furnace operation. These accretions form on surfaces that are below the temperature where solid ZnO forms by the reaction Zn t C02 -~ ZnO ~ CO.
This reaction is called the reversion reaction and tne temperature at which it occurs the 'reversion temperature'. The SKF process is free of this problem only because of the highly reduced gas entering the condenser.
Both processes suffer from shortcomings such .
as listed below:-- Build~up of dross within the condenser/absorber - Poor efficiency - The need for a large cooling and liquation :
circuit which is expensive to build and maintain :~
- Large carryover of lead droplets in the off-gas stream leading to lower zinc recoveries, Further shortcomings of the eY~isting process 30 technolo~ies and ho~ they are overcome by the present ~-invention will be described belo~.
In a principal aspect the invent.ion provides a process for absorbing zinc vapour in molten lead characterised in that a gas containing zinc vapour is :
contacted witll and then separated from a flowing stream of molten lead in a cyclone, . , ~
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Preferably the cyclone contact stage is preceded by a stage in which the molten lead is introduced into and contacted with the stream of gas containing zinc vapour in a mixing chamber.
S In a more preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the invention comprises a refractory lined cross-over or off-take with an outlet at the bottom which opens into the mixing chamber that joins a cyclone.
Lead is introduced into the chamber by a lead spray directed into the gas stream. This spray produces a dispersion of lead droplets within the gas stream. Lead may be also introduced by additional j-sprays that completely wet the walls of both the vertical section before the cyclone and also within the cyclone itself.
The vertical chamber before the cyclone may also house one or more banks of static mixing elements. These elements not only serve to mix the lead droplets and gas together but also break up the lead droplets. This action causes a high degree of shear and a large contacting area as well as turbulence in both phases.
Mixing columns housing static mixing elements are known, and reference may be made by way of eY.ample to one such apparatus described in ~S Patent 4,744,928 to Sulzer Brothers Limited of Switzerland.
The static mixing elements in that design are disposed within the chamber in a manner that deflects the flow of fluid impinging thereon and thereby promotes efficient mixing of gases and/or liquids passing t~rough the chamber.
Provided the static mixing elements pro~ote efficient mixing, their precise configuration is not critical to the present invention.

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The molten lead now containing the absorbed zinc is passed into a system for recovery of the latter as well as for recirculation of the molten lead for renewed absorption. The off-gas is passed to a conventional gas cleaning system.
In the accompan~ing drawings: -Fiq. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary prefersed embodiment of the process accordinq to the invention;
Fig. la is a diagrammatic representation of an alternative exemplary preferre~ embodiment of the process according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a more detailed illustration of a preferred form of the components 2 (in part), 3 and 4 of Fig. 1.
The construction and operation of the apparatus will be better understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing. In this ~igure l represents zinc-laden gas from the smelting or slag fuming operation, and 2 represents a refractory lined off-take. A burner 3, called the 'transition burner', is provided to maintain the temperature of the lower region of the refractory above the Zn-ZnO
- reversion temperature. A le.ad spray (alternatively, a bank of lead sprays~ 4 direct(s) molten lead to a ver~ical chamber S which may contain mixing elements Sa to enhance the contact between ~he zinc-laden gas and the molten lead.
A c~clone 6 serves both to contact and to 3~ separate the gas and the lead, the latter passing to the gas-cleanlnq system 7. The zinc-rich lead stream 8 is passed to the pump sump 9 provided with pump 10 conveying lead back through the absorption system. A
zinc-lead stream is pumped from the sump 3 via line 11 to a lead cooler 12 and returned to the sump, and via line lla to lead sprays 4. Numerals 13 and 14 represent a cooling water inlet and outlet ~ , L~UBSTITUTE S~! E~:~
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, , ' . '. ' ': ' WO91/02825 PCT/A~'90/00344 , respectively. A small portion of the zinc-lead is passed via line 16 to the liquation pot 17, which is provided with cooling wa~er inlet 18 and outlet 19 respectively. Numeral 20 represents the zinc product and 21 a launder for returning liquated lead to the pump sum 9.
Turning to Fig. la, line 16 of Fig. 1 is replaced by line 16a from pump 10 direct to liquation pot 17 and bypassing lead cooler 12.
The items illustrated in Fig. 2 provide an example of a preferred transition burner and lead spray assembly.
Process gas, indicated by numeral 39, enters at the top and flows downward through the assembly.
A fuel such as propane is precombusted with oxygen. The hot gas is introduced tangentially into a toroid 30 penetrating a circumferential offtake body 38. The toroid 30 serves two purposes.
Firstly, it evenly distributes the gas before it exits the burner and, secondly, it serves to heat the offtake body 38.
Numeral 30a indicates an exit port ~or hot gas into the central open space defined by the offtake body 38, the gas exiting as shown by arrow ~5 33.
Upper and lower circumferential mains, 31 and 32 respectively, are shown for supply of streams of lead or zinc-lead in streams indicated by arrows 34 and 35 respectiveiy. Numeral 36 indicates the presence of baffles to remove the swirl from stream 34 before it is deflected downwardly and towards the centre of the open space.
~ circumferential truncated cone 37 extends downwardly into the stream of gas 39 and forms part of exit ports 30a.

~3 WO 91/0~82; PCT/AU90/0~3 The surface temperature of the inside of the toroid 30 is maintained at around 1500C.
Furthermore, the burner is run to give a good exit gas velocity (1~ m/s) of highly reducing gas (CO/c02 =
10). As a fine control on the t~mperature, and to achieve good velocities without the burner getting too hot, nitrogen is also introduced into the burner.
The offtake body ~8 is heated by the burner otherwise its surface would ~all below the reversion temperature. The lower part of the offta~e body 38 is directly above the region where lead is sprayed into the absorber. Consequently ~his lower part loses heat ~y radiation to the lead.
The gases exiting from the exit port 30a serve primarily to stop zinc from diffusing to the top lip of the lead spray causing an accretion. This top lip will always be held below the reversion temperature because of the lead in the spray.
The shape of cone 37 was found to be necessary to give protection against diffusion of process gas onto the cold lip of the lead spray. The high turbulence of the process gas greatly enhances the possibility of diffusion.
The top lead spray 34 is designed to introduce lead to the centre of the process gas stream. Lead may be introduced tangentially into a main 31 surrounding the spray. The swirl introduced to the lead by the tangential inlet is removed by baffies so that the lead is introduced radially but ~-inclined downwardly into the process gas stream.
Lead or zinc-iead is introduced tangentially into a main 32 surrounding the spray. The lead maintains its high swirl and as it exits the spray it flattens itself against the walls. The swirl is su~ficient to give a unifor~ coating down the mixer column.
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As well as introd~cinq lead or zinc-lead to the centre of the gas stream the top spray 34 is needed to contain the highly swirled bottom spray 35.
Without this containment, lead from the bottom spray S would flush upwards. :
The spray system is designed so that splash upwards onto the refractory areas or upward movement from the bottom spray is substantially non-existent. :
If splash or upward movement occurs, the refractory is cooled below its reversion temperature and accretion forms.
The outlets of the top and bottom sprays are designed to be close together so that there are no unwetted areas of steelwork.
lS The principal benefits achievable by preferred embodiments of the present invention (designated 'Pasminco') are demonstrated vis-a-vis the characteristics of existing technologies in Table 1 below.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A process for absorbing zinc vapour in molten lead characterised in that a gas containing zinc vapour is contacted with and then separated from a flowing stream of molten lead in a cyclone.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cyclone contact stage is preceded by a stage in which the molten lead is introduced into and contacted with the stream of gas containing zinc vapour in a mixing chamber.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein molten lead is also sprayed onto the walls of the mixing chamber to prevent reversion on the cold interior surfaces of the chamber.

4. A process as claimed in claims 2 and 3, wherein cold surfaces in the general region where lead is introduced are heated above the Zn-ZnO reversion temperature.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein a buffer layer of hot reducing gas is inserted between the gas containing zinc and the cold, lead-covered surfaces.

6. A process as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein one or more banks of static mixing elements are provided in the mixing chamber to promote mixing between the zinc and the molten lead.

7. A process as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the zinc-rich lead stream from the cyclone is passed to a reservoir of zinc-lead, part of the zinc-lead being cooled and part being recycled to the mixing chamber before the cyclone.

8. A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein a portion of the cooled zinc-lead is withdrawn to a zinc separation stage.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the portion of the cooled stream withdrawn to the zinc separation stage is a relatively small proportion of the mass flow of zinc-lead in the circuit.

10. A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein a portion of the reservoir of zinc-lead is withdrawn without cooling to a zinc separation stage.

11. A process as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the zinc separation stage comprises liquation means.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. An apparatus for absorbing zinc vapour in molten lead, which comprises a cyclone adapted to receive a stream of molten lead or lead alloy together with a zinc-laden gaseous stream, and wherein the two streams may be contacted so as to promote absorption of the zinc into the molten lead, the gas then being separated from the zinc-rich lead.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in combination with a vertical mixing chamber adapted to receive the two streams prior to their entry into the cyclone.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 which comprises spray means within the mixing chamber adapted to spray the internal walls of the chamber as well as inject a spray of molten lead or lead alloy into the interior space of the chamber.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein a refractory-lined cross-over or offtake for receiving gas containing zinc vapour is provided having an outlet in its bottom opening into the vertical mixing chamber.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein a transition burner is provided in the general region of the cross-over or offtake whereby the temperature of the refractory material, particularly in its lower region, can be maintained above the Zn-ZnO transition point and a buffer layer of hot reducing gas can be inserted between the gas containing zinc and the cold, lead-covered surfaces in that region of the apparatus.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A zinc recovery unit which comprises an apparatus as claimed in any of claims 13 to 17 in combination with means for recovery of zinc from the zinc-rich lead stream and means to return a portion of the zinc-lead to said apparatus.

20. A zinc recovery unit as claimed in claim 19 which comprises in addition, means to cool a portion of the zinc-lead.

21. A zinc recovery unit which comprises an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 in combination with:

(1) means to convey the zinc-rich stream to (2) a sump for zinc-lead;
(3) means to return a portion of the zinc-lead to said apparatus;
(4) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (5) cooling means;
(6) means to convey a portion of cooled zinc-lead to (7) a liquation pot; and (8) means to return zinc-depleted lead from said liquation pot to said sump.

22. A zinc recovery unit which comprises an apparatus as claimed in any of of claims 13 to 17 in combination with:

(1) means to convey the zinc-rich stream to (2) a sump for zinc-lead;
(3) means to return a portion of the zinc-lead to said apparatus;
(4) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (5) cooling means;
(6) means to return the cooled zinc-lead to said sump;
(7) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (8) a liquation pot; and (9) means to return zinc-depleted lead from said liquation pot to said sump.

23. A zinc recovery unit which comprises a zinc absorption apparatus in combination with:

(1) means to convey the zinc-rich stream to (2) a sump for zinc-lead;
(3) means to return a portion of the zinc-lead to said apparatus;
(4) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (5) cooling means;
(6) means to convey a portion of the cooled zinc-lead to (7) a liquation pot; and (8) means to return zinc-depleted lead from said liquation pot to said sump.

24. A zinc recovery unit which comprises a zinc absorption apparatus in combination with:

(1) means to convey the zinc-rich stream to (2) a sump for zinc-lead;
(3) means to return a portion of the zinc-lead to said apparatus;
(4) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (5) cooling means;
(6) means to return the cooled zinc-lead to said sump;
(7) means to convey a portion of the zinc-lead to (8) a liquation pot; and (9) means to return zinc-depleted lead from said liquation pot to said sump.

25. A transition burner/spray assembly for use with or in apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 which comprises a circumferential insulated offtake in combination with:

(1) a burner to heat said offtake and supply hot reducing gas to the injection point of (2) spray means located in use below said offtake, said spray means being adapted to inject lead or lead-zinc radially and downwardly into a stream of zinc-laden gas flowing through said offtake.